Tales of Winter
by Adora Dark
Summary: It's the last day of the year and all the boys are on a rush, New Year's Eve making their every day routines interlace together in four short tales with a pinch of holidays magic. But there isn't really such a thing. Or is there? (MakoRin, SouRin, SouMako, RinHaru - all ships have references)


This story is written for the wonderful Ashley, as a part of our Free! FB group's Secret Santa exchange :) Happy New Year!  
The prompts I was given were: 1. SouRin babysitting, 2. RinHaru accidentally going to a nude beach, 3. MakoRin kissing for the first time, 4. SouMako going on their first date and watching a scary movie. And since I don't normally write fluff/comedy stuff, I figured to just...use all four prompts and add my own AU filter :D

* * *

 **Tales of Winter**

With a last brushstroke of his piping bag, Sousuke finishes decorating the chocolate Christmas tree cookies with the emerald icing and the gold sparkling sugar. Hands on waist, he swells at the sight of his masterpiece, a lopsided smile of pride wrinkling the left side of his handsome face, when the cheerful clatter of children storms his kitchen, interrupting his culinary endeavours. But there are no children, there's no plural; it's just one joyful little tornado that creates all this chaos and he's staring back at him at the moment, with his cheeky, golden eyes full of mischief.

"Uncle Rin!"

The little boy boastfully shows off the shark shaped ornament dangling from his right hand, his left one toying with the waterfall of vermilion hair adorning his head, an instinctive mannerism he had since he was twelve months old. When Sousuke tries a step towards him, the boy lets a happy squeal and runs off towards Rin's bedroom. Sousuke shakes his head; the little monkey wouldn't live up to his name if he wasn't this naughty bundle of energy. But he's a true Mikoshiba, after all.

He returns to his fragrant cookies, placing them carefully in small mounds inside the paper box he has hastily spruced up with a blue-green ribbon, when a throaty croak forces him to turn around for a second time. Standing by the black sleek refrigerator, face jaded and glowering eyes, Rin Matsuoka doesn't look happy.

"Where did he go?"

Sousuke stifles a chuckle.

"He just passed by, you didn't see him?"

"No. He's being removing all my shark toys from the tree and replaces them with dolphin ones. I swear, that little rascal..."

"Perhaps baby-sitting isn't for you, Rin."

"If it's baby-sitting the devil himself, yeah perhaps it isn't."

Speak of the Devil and he doth appear, as suddenly, a familiar, whimsical face pops up at the door, brandishing a shark ornament as if it is some kind of precious trophy. His left hand is playing with the ends of his torrential mane and he stares at them with eyes overflown with gold.

"Uncle Rin!" the boy exclaims, before jauntily disappearing towards Rin's bedroom.

"Ah, there he is! Hey, come back!"

But Sousuke frowns.

"Didn't he just...wasn't he already in your room?"

"Huh? No. But he is certainly hiding there now." Rin raises his voice, making sure his rowdy nephew hears every word "Don't think I won't catch you, Toraichi!"

"Just before you came, didn't he pass by again calling your name?"

As he follows the boy's trail, Rin quirks an eyebrow at the baffled brunet and snorts.

"I brought you that red wine so you would use it in the stew, not drink it, Sousuke."

Leaning over the wooden counter, Sousuke rubs the tiredness off his eyes. In the oven, the beef stew is slowly cooking and a parade of delightfully spicy odours is warming up the air. Perhaps burying himself in the kitchen all morning has turned his mind foggy, he concludes. But his meager salary hadn't allowed him to afford any fancy presents for Rin and his family. Thus, since Akane Matsuoka would be catching the last train to Tokyo so she could spend the weekend with her son, Sousuke had insisted on being in charge of the redheads' dinner while the New Year would knock on their threshold. Baby-sitting the youngest addition to the fiery family was a bonus that made the day a struggle and invaluable the same time.

A loud thud, followed by an outrageous medley of taunting cackles and Rin's furious voice, reverberates through the house. Sousuke instantly leaps into the living room, only to find his childhood friend covered in big chunks of cake, caramel syrup dribbling down his sullen face and stippling his white shirt. The culprit is crouched atop the oaken, dining table, sweet traces of his guilt melting all over his small palms and a wild joy colouring his face, astounded by his own accomplishment.

"Well, uncle Rin will be the dessert I guess", Sousuke hums and ducks his head the last second, avoiding the cushion that skims over it.

Forty minutes later, Rin sinks in the horseshoe shaped sofa beside Sousuke, dabbing his wet locks with the soft Samezuka towel draped around his nape. Opposite to them, Toraichi is peacefully sleeping, swathed in a fleece blanket with embroidered otter patterns.

"So he finally exhausted himself."

The brunet nods without averting his eyes from the boy.

"Enjoyed your shower?"

"Very funny, Sousuke" Rin hisses sourly "I would have if it wasn't my third so far. I feel like I've been thrown into a washing machine whole day. First he decided to use me as a canvas for his watercolours, then he puked on me while I was trying to feed him, and now this..."

"He's so beautiful."

Rin chokes down the rest of his sentence. He follows Sousuke's sapphire gaze, dreamy and unruffled as it rests on the asleep child. Long strands of dark copper hair sprayed all around, thumb tugging his lower lip, Toraichi's serene face reminds nothing of the earlier devious imp. Rin sighs.

"Sousuke..."

"You know, sometimes, I stare at him and catch myself thinking how he could have been mine...like, what if we hadn't lost that baby..." he shifts in his seat and huffs "...sorry, I shouldn't be telling this to you, out of all people."

"No, it's fine. I mean, it's been so many years, it stopped bothering me long ago. Besides," Rin gently elbows him "it did earn you a black eye back then."

"Two. You had bruised both of them." Sousuke corrects him with a bittersweet smile. "I was drunk, Gou was still at school. We were both so immature, it wouldn't have worked between us anyway. But when I look at Toraichi, I can't help but think of that baby. What if that was my only chance to become a father?"

"You're only twenty-seven Sousuke, give me a break."

"Twenty-seven, single and gay."

"Bi."

"Only that one time with your sister."

"There's always adoption."

"In Japan?"

Rin struggles but no reply gets past his lips. There's nothing to counter Sousuke with this time. He knows well the laws are draconian when it comes to homosexuals in this corner of the earth. Scooting closer to his friend, he lets his hand sketch soothing circles on Sousuke's knee. The brunet has always been reluctant with human contact, but for the redhead, its consoling role has often been proven cathartic.

"Oi, I know you look sexier when you frown, but don't cloud over now" he teases him, before his voice drops a pitch, "besides, you're not the only one with this problem. We're all in the same gutter here, so let's look at the stars for change, right?"

Sousuke arches his thick eyebrow disbelievingly.

"Are you taking comfort lessons from Rei?"

"Damn it, it shows, doesn't it?"

"It's a given, if you're going to cite Oscar Wilde."

Their muffled laughs linger between them, and as their combined mirth ebbs, Sousuke takes notice of their ardent proximity for the first time. Rin's breath is warm against his cheeks and his body emanates a welcoming mix of cherry soap and sweet nostalgia; the redhead smells of home. So when Sousuke gently interlaces their hands further up his thigh and slightly leans in, it only feels blissfully natural. Full, succulent lips slowly mark the path from Rin's earlobe to the edge of his smile, a feathery caress that tickles and awakens memories from lethargy. Rin watches through hooded eyes as his own face tilts to the side, so he can finally meet that long overdue kiss that pokes at the corner of his mouth. He gasps, as Sousuke nibbles the velvet of his flesh and outlines the opening, the tips of their tongues crossing in an interesting choreography but never fully embracing. Eventually, Sousuke hooks his free hand behind Rin's head, and finally captures his mouth completely, sucking him in.

It's when their sloppy sounds enlarge in the heartfelt silence of the living room and reach his ears, that a dozen of warning bells go off in the redhead's mind. Suddenly, Rin becomes aware of Sousuke's weight pouring down on him and, with an abrupt jerk, breaks away from his enraptured companion.

"No, let's stop."

"You're right...I'm sorry."

Sousuke sits hunched up on the couch, kneading his forehead with the heel of his palm.

"You and I tried this thing more than once in the past, it never worked. We'll just end up waking up Toraichi."

"I don't know what got into me. Perhaps I was carried away by all these thoughts."

It's one of the rare times that sympathy colours Rin's face and his cheeks dimple with understanding.

"I think you should try going out with someone new. You really look like you need a change, someone to spark you up."

"Well..." Sousuke purses his lips, pondering his options "...I do have a date with Makoto later tonight. Let's see how that will go."

"I was mostly talking about someone completely new, you should untangle yourself from this messy circle of ours."

"I thought you'd wish me good luck."

Rin breathes out and nods.

"Okay, you're right. Good luck tonight. But..." he raises his index finger when Sousuke rolls his eyes "...I do think you deserve better. And I don't want to see you giving up."

A sly smirk cracks on Sousuke's face.

"You're turning emotional again, Matsuoka."

"I know, asshole, it's your fault." Rin lightly bumps his fist on the brunet's robust triceps. "So, what are you doing after the date? The invitation to welcome the New Year with us is still open, you know. It's a pity to go home, you've cooked all this stuff."

"Nah, I will probably be sleeping by midnight, when the year turns. Or I'll miss the morning train and won't get to see my father."

"Fair enough. Still, if you change your mind...it's going to be just me and my mother, Gou is spending the evening with the in-laws. She and the little terror will be here tomorrow again for New Year's Day. Speaking of which, shouldn't we wake him up? I'll never hear the end of it if he gives Gou a hard time sleeping at night."

Rin's cellphone makes the decision for them when a sudden succession of shrill rings pierces through the air. With sleepiness still wearying his baby face, Toraichi blinks around him disoriented. On the other end of the line, Haruka's colourless voice sounds urgent for the first time.

"Huh? You want me to come your place as soon as possible? Is everything alright?...What do you mean you can't tell me?! I swear Haru, if you're dragging me down there for nothing...yes ok...I'll head your way after my sister comes."

Less than fifteen minutes later, the frisky child beams at the sight of his young mother standing at the doorstep, beckoning him to rush into her loving arms. As the daylight becomes dimmer, the cold chills the quiet neighbourhood. It spreads across Gou's skin like the lacy tide on a frigid winter beach, shading the tip of her nose in a vibrant red that rivals her hair.

"Thank you so much guys, we wouldn't have been able to do all this shopping if we had to chase after him every five minutes. Did he cause you much trouble?"

"Well you could say he was – hmmph..." Sousuke finishes his sentence in a stifled grumble of pain.

"An angel." Rin dotingly grins at his sister and discreetly withdraws his foot from Sousuke's squashed toes.

"Oh you two...Toraichi, what do you say we give uncle Rin a big hug before we go?"

"Here buddy, come ooooowwwh...not my hair, owwh, let it go!"

"Oh my God, stop it Toraichi!...I'm so sorry, he always asks me for a ponytail like yours, he loves your hair."

"Yeah but I want to keep my hair...oi, let go..owwh!"

"Toraichi!"

In an instant, the young boy recoils at the sound of the Stentorian voice summoning his name. As he turns around, he's greeted by a striking pair of eyes, almost identical to his own two golden suns, glaring at him with strictness. Toraichi gulps, but then the man gives him a playful wink and liberates the purest gladness that slumbers in the child's heart.

"Papa!"

Sousuke's sapphire gaze tails after the young boy, as he scampers across the street, almost stumbling upon an elderly man in blue coat that is walking his cinnamon shiba inu, before surrendering himself in Seijuurou's protective embrace. The former captain waves at them and Rin salutes like the old days.

"I can't believe he tames him that easily."

"You forget how the whole Samezuka stood at attention with only a swing of his head" Gou swells while watching her husband fastening their son's seatbelt. "Okay, time to leave. I don't think we'll be back tonight, it's not easy to get away from a house full of Mikoshibas. Can you picture it, all six of them shouting and laughing at the same time?"

"No, I'll get a headache just by imagining it."

"Exactly, so I can't make any promises. But we'll definitely be here tomorrow" she pauses for a moment to look at them, her warm smile brightening up the gloomy afternoon "gosh, I don't know what I would do without you."

She reaches for both, and they cradle her affectionately into their arms, Rin showering with butterfly kisses the burgundy satin of her hair, Sousuke squeezing her gently against his solid chest.

"Happy New Year, guys. Oh and don't forget to pick up mom."

"Yeah yeah..."

As the last ray of light dyes the horizon in a blend of mauve and tangerine, brewing the upcoming night, Sousuke silently watches the red sedan driving away. Somehow, the weather gets bleaker in empty roads.

"Hey, are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Rin doesn't really believe him, but he says nothing, until:

"Oh shit! I forgot about Haru. I was supposed to get to his place the soonest possible. I guess I'll-"

"Are you seeing this?"

Netting his eyebrows, Rin turns to the direction Sousuke's mystified expression is pointing at. There, where an elderly man in long, blue coat is slowly strolling with his cinnamon shina inu down the street.

"Uhm..."

"Didn't this man already pass by? Heading the same way?"

"I don't think so, Sousuke. I don't remember him."

"Really, you didn't notice him? It's been less than five minutes since your sister was here, he can't have made a full circle around he whole block, he's walking too slow."

Rin's chortle is brisk like the cold creeping below their sweaters.

"Sousuke, are you sure you didn't drink that wine?"

* * *

A thin furrow flickers in his perfectly shaped brow and, instantly, the curved ideograms on the saffron scroll start fading away. He breathes out, realizing he needs to become more focused, before the images start duplicating again. A nod of his head is enough for the beautiful quill carved out of beech to skid gracefully on the papyrus once again. It glides and twirls, drizzling its golden stardust in the air. Minuscule crystals float around the low-ceilinged chamber, before sneaking into its cracks and begin their infinite voyage in the night.

* * *

Rin scuttles up the narrow staircase that leads to Haruka's apartment. His breath is hitched like a knot up his throat, his hasty stride literally skips two steps at a time. Despite the crisp, cloudless evening, the thought of his raven haired friend trapped in some unfathomable trouble, makes sweat pool around his temples. When he finds the door unlocked, the pounding of the goblet drum that's now his heart, intensifies.

"Haru! Haru! Is everything...alright?"

His voice dies out as he enters the small kitchen, the only source of light in this house of blackness. Because Haruka is standing there, unperturbed in his usual blue apron, shoving a spoonful of something mushy right into the redhead's face.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Rin jerks Haruka's hand away, his crimson eyes scanning around the place in bewilderment.

"Try this."

"Huh, try what? I don't want to eat. Where's the intruder?"

Haruka frowns.

"What intruder?"

"You called me and said it's an emergency. I ran up here as fast as I could and the door was hanging open."

"I left it like that, cause I was cooking."

A thin vein keeps visibly pulsating on Rin's temple, his jaw muscles ripple under his anger's pressure.

"So you wouldn't bother answering the door, just cause you were busy in the kitchen..." he lets a snigger out of pure desperation "...you mean to tell me I came all the way here, just to watch you cooking?"

"No. Now try this."

"Please Lord, don't let me farewell this year with murder...What is it? I don't want it."

They wriggle and scuffle, until Haruka manages to get a grip of Rin's chin and forces the spoon inside his mouth. The redhead staggers backwards and his face sports the most comical expression, before softening up as he chews down the mysterious food. It's not as bad as he initially feared.

"What's this? Some type of spicy mackerel mash?"

"I cooked it for Makoto and his family. It's the turkey filling."

"What?!..." as a racking cough convulses him, Rin's eyes bulge so much that they look like billiard balls _,_ "you stuffed the turkey with fish?! Are you trying to poison the Tachibanas?"

"What's wrong with turkey served with mackerel? I like it." Haru looks offended.

Rin gulps down two glasses of water, to wash away the taste of Hell as he calls it, and Haru thinks that, as always, the fiery redhead is showing off his overly dramatic self. When the whining comes to naught, Rin casts a glance around the empty apartment, and an obvious thought strikes him for the first time; Haruka has no plans for the night. For yet another eve, his parents haven't made it to Tokyo, and even though the Tachibana family will gladly put an additional plate on New Year's table just for him, tonight he rests alone.

"Does Makoto know your parents aren't coming after all?"

Haruka shrugs.

"So why don't you just stay with his family tonight? You are supposed to be there tomorrow anyway."

"I'm fine here."

"Or perhaps you can come to my place? It's just gonna be my mother and I."

"But I haven't cooked anything for you..."

Rin folds his arms, raising his eyebrows in disbelief.

"It's alright Haru, I think we can survive without your chicken-fish dish."

"I already said I'm fine here."

Rin doesn't insist. Even though he'll never openly admit it, he would love to have his peculiar friend with him tonight, but he knows well that, unlike Sousuke who mostly succumbs to brooding, Haruka finds a unique allure in solitude.

"So, did you call me here just as your personal food tester or what?"

"No, there's something I want to show you."

The cold near the coast is raw, while they venture into the clear night. Biting winds whip around their faces, sweeping away Rin's words as he trembles and snuggles against Haruka's back, muttering they shouldn't have taken his bicycle. Down at the shore, a canopy of luminous stars materializes in the ocean of blackness and the lack of looming clouds leaves the glorious moon unsheltered. Eventually, they lock the bicycle at the designated bike racks and continue through the sand on foot. The beach lays peaceful and silver under the moonlight, empty of sounds and souls, and if Rin wasn't gravely worried he'd be late at the train station, he could stay and relish the nocturnal beauty by the sea till dawn. But as he follows Haruka's lead, he catches a glimpse of an image unsuitable for the magical scenery, as dark shadows shape up in the distance. Swiftly, he grabs a handful of Haruka's jacket and pulls him down behind a cluster of rocks.

"Heeey..."

Haruka protests as his rear bumps on the ground, but a large palm hushes him at once.

"Shush! You want them to hear us? What the hell are they doing here?"

The moon's luminescence reveals an unusual, small group of people that seems to revel in the sea's luxury, defying its icy aura.

"Rin, are they..."

"...naked? No, they are just wearing their birth suits as costumes...Of course they are naked! Oh my God, I can't believe this. You brought me in some kind of hotspot for winter nudist swimmers! That's the discovery you made and couldn't wait to show me? What are you? A pervert?"

"I had no idea they would be here" Haru barks back.

Young men and women run towards the waves elated, milky breasts and genitals jingling in Rin's view, making steam gush out of his flushed ears.

"Oh damnit, I can't even look, that's so awkward". He shuts his eyes, covering Haruka's azure orbs in the process too. But the brunet yanks his head away.

"That's ridiculous, we aren't going to sit here with our eyes closed."

"You're right, we actually have to find a getaway", Rin ponders, browsing the area around them "if we rise up now we will be seen, but perhaps if we wait until all of them get into the water, then maybe we can run back towards that rock and from there...what on earth are you doing?"

Horror paints Rin's eyes as he suddenly realizes Haruka has stood up beside him and is now taking off his clothes.

"I am joining them."

"What? Sit the fuck down! Are you out of your mind?"

"These people have found the true meaning of swimming Free!"

Rin remains struck dumb, his jaw flirting dangerously with the gritty sand.

"You can't be serious."

But the next moment, Haruka leaps away from their hide and all Rin can do is grunt a curse to himself, before hurrying after the whimsical youth.

"Where's Makoto when you need him?"

The goddess of Luck seems to smile at the redhead because, if there's one thing that Haruka isn't good at, that's running fast. Rin lunges at him from behind, his weight forcing them to tumble down. Their bodies roll together in the sand, countless aureate grains befogging their vision, when a loud, feminine shriek makes them freeze. A flashlight zeroes in on them, unveiling their seemingly promiscuous position; a semi-naked Haruka straddled by a flustered Rin.

"Ahem...this is not what it looks like..."

A man, whose creased pants look hastily zipped up, stares down at them full of ire, while several women further behind him rush in shock to wrap towels around their exposed curves.

"What are you two freaks doing? Getting at it while stalking swimmers?!"

"Whoah, you've got totally the wrong idea there, pal", Rin tries to sound chill while he's dusting his clothes "We had no idea you lot were around here."

The man's scowled face looks unconvinced, dark eyes scrutinizing the boys with suspicion. Especially that bizarre brunet who hasn't batted an eyelash, despite the rather embarrassing scene.

"Look, we apologize if we scared the ladies. We were just leaving."

"I'm not going anywhere. I want to swim." Haruka's deadpan voice cuts him off.

"Haru?!"

"We have as much right to be here, as he does."

"Hey, you weirdo, you better stay away from us or I'm calling the police."

"Now, that won't be necessary." Rin chuckles nervously and , the next moment, he's already galloping away, his feet floundering in the sand as he hauls Haruka with him. They come to a halt further down the beach, when they are sure no one's hunting them down after all.

"Damn it, I'm too old for this shit" Rin bents forward and pants, his cold breath billowing before him "Those idiots, I bet swimming here naked is illegal."

"Rin, this is the spot."

"Huh, what-"

But the ravenhead shushes him with the tip of his finger. Instead, he guides Rin to a nearby boulder, that stands out from the rest, weathered rocks. Centuries of erosion have granted its unique aquatic shape, which gives them a hard time as they climb on its top. Even from their crawling position, the view of the ocean under the starry night vault remains majestic.

"Look..."

"What am I supposed to be looking at?"

"Sshhh...any moment now, just look..."

For a whole minute, there is silence. And then, a miracle manifests before their eyes. The sea's unbroken calm churns, until an extraordinary dolphin leaps high into the sultry air. It arcs its glistening body and flips its tail, a beautiful performance where background is the moon. Clicking sounds fill the night, before it goes down with a splash, right into the speckled with a hundred fragments of light ocean.

Rin beholds in awe.

Soon, the magnificent being emerges again, this time with two more companions, and they continue to dance freely in and out of the bejeweled waters.

"I saw him a couple of weeks ago for the first time." Haru whispers and Rin can tell he's happy "Sometimes he swims alone, sometimes along with others. He doesn't show up every day, but when he does, it's always after the sun has set."

Rin turns around, staring deep into Haruka's eyes and he can almost see the dolphins reflecting in those pools of azure.

"How did you know he would be here tonight?"

The brunet smiles.

"I didn't. I just felt he'd come."

The chill in the air turns their breaths into puffs of soft frost, that hover in front of them like slow moving clouds. Haruka's adam apple bobs up and down as he swallows, gradually narrowing the gap separating them.

"Wear back your clothes, idiot..."

"Rin..."

Slowly, he lifts the brunet's forgotten jacket and drapes it motherly around his naked shoulders. His hands linger on Haruka and his fingers gently graze up his cheek. It's surprisingly warm. Haruka's heat radiates through Rin's frozen fingertips and quickly spreads down to his core. And as their breaths mingle, tiny droplets of light linger between them.

But no, they aren't droplets. They are like flimsy cobwebs that glisten under the moonlight. Like rosy snowflakes gliding down. Like...

"Hair?"

They both stare nearly hypnotized, as Rin removes a strand of pink hair from Haruka's face.

* * *

The quill remains perfectly still, as a burning sensation spreads in his chest. For a moment, he shuts his eyes and cowers over the desk, massaging his sternum. But that stinging pain has already vanished, just as fast as it initially appeared. A few thin, roseate strands lay scattered on the scrolls before him. His fingers brush up his cheek, before he lifts them in the level of his indigo eyes. The tips are smudged. His essence is already leaking out and that can only mean one thing; he doesn't have much time left.

* * *

"Are you sure you'll be ok watching this movie?"

Stretching away the rows of red velvet seats, gently arced, are already crammed with people that look like ants. Sousuke mutters a groan of apology every time he bumps on someone's crossed legs.

"I'll be fine, it's just a film."

Makoto does that disarming tilt with his head, as they finally squeeze themselves into their narrow seats.

"It's a _horror_ film. And it's my fault we got the wrong tickets. I honestly thought that "Santa Claws" was just an error in spelling."

"Don't worry, I'm used to such stuff. Slammed by the critics and loved by the punters, that's all Nagisa ever chooses. Want some pop corn?"

He offers Sousuke the family size bucket, when he notices it feels lighter than it did ten minutes ago.

"It's almost empty?"

"I did warn you not to buy just one..." Sousuke guiltily licks the traces of saltiness from the edge of his mouth.

"But it's the biggest they have. And I thought it would be...well...romantic..."

Makoto's light blush makes Sousuke feel already like a jerk in their first date.

"It's just that sharing food isn't really my..." he falters, realizing he's probably making it worse "...I'll go get us some more, be right back."

He stands up despite Makoto's protests and returns a few minutes later, just as the lights are dimming in the hall, bearing two huge buckets of pop corn and earning himself several deadly glares by the people sitting in the same row. A bulky guy like him passing over their toes for the third time within ten minutes, isn't exactly something they appreciate.

"You know, I just checked at the box office, there are still tickets available for that Disney movie. You're sure you don't wanna-"

"Relax, Sousuke" the hazel haired man jams some buttered popcorn into his mouth "It's the New Year's Eve, how bad can a movie be?"

Fifteen minutes into the movie, Makoto is already screaming louder than the helpless woman on the screen. Annoyed "shush" and "hush" are raining down on him and Sousuke has sunk so deep into his seat, that he has almost turned to mush from embarrassment.

"Makoto, maybe we should leave?"

"No, no. I just didn't expect Santa to pop up from the chimney. I'm prepared now."

"But you're sweating."

"It's so hot in here, phew."

However, as time is ticking, Makoto is still getting the jitters, and two scenes later, the deafening bang of a door sends his hand flying to grab Sousuke.

"I'm sorry..." he mutters as he squeezes his friend for comfort "it just soothes me holding someone's hand."

Sousuke chokes, as he glances down at his lap.

"Uhm...that's...not exactly my...hand..."

Under the dull light, Makoto's mortified expression rivals an Oscar-worthy performance. He withdraws his hand in cosmic speed and for the rest of the movie, he resorts to using the popcorn bucket as his hiding shield. Which is proven to be a bad decision when, along with the victim that jumps off a roof and lands to his death, Makoto also jumps off his seat, his popcorn scattering on everyone sitting near him.

"Seriously, that's enough!"

"We can't enjoy the film cause of you!"

"If you're such a pansy, go watch a shoujo comedy!"

Makoto loses count on how many times he has apologized, but next to him, Sousuke is already feeling his blood boiling upon hearing the insults.

"Oi, watch your mouth" his icy glower sends daggers to an insolent youth in the back row.

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I offend your boyfriend?" the teenager snickers and Makoto restrains Sousuke the last moment, before the enraged brunet imprints his fist on that cheeky face. They manage to leave their seats before any security guard arrives, and as Makoto steps out in the lobby, he finally lets a long sigh of relief. A relief with a lifespan of three seconds, as he quickly realizes that Sousuke hasn't been following him. Like a bolt, he gets back into the hall and his emerald eyes widen in panic at the image of a disoriented Sousuke blindly trying to find his way in front of the big screen, amidst the audience's jeering.

"Well that was..."

"...a disaster?"

Makoto smiles warmly, as he tucks his wooly scarf around his neck. Outside the movie theater, garlands of colourful lights arch over the streets, illuminating the district in a festive ambience. On the smooth concrete sidewalks, last minute shoppers and other wanderers are enjoying their last strolls, before they return to the coziness of their homes and welcome the new year.

"It's good you said it." Sousuke laughs, relieved that Makoto admits their date's failure first. Time loiters around them, a gust of wind sweeping away dry leaves from the grass banks along the road.

"I should be going. My parents and the twins are waiting at home for me to see the new year in. It's the first time we are spending the holidays in Tokyo rather than Iwatobi."

"Oh, I see."

"Well, of course, if you have no plans, you're welcome to join us."

"No, it's ok. I actually have to hit the bed early, I'm catching a train tomorrow to see my old man. But thank you."

The wind howls louder, searching the marrow and bringing no bloom to the cheek.

"Sousuke...I think we should not ruin this..."Makoto gestures between them "...friendship we have. You may not believe it, but I had a great time tonight. It was...hmm...different, refreshing. Let's not complicate things."

Something elusive twinkles within the brunet's sapphire. He nods slowly, his eyes drifting down on his empty hands, already red and chapped from the cold.

"Don't get me wrong, you're a great guy. Sooner or later, you'll find someone."

"I guess...Rin says I deserve better..."

Suddenly gloved, warm hands engulf his own clasped ones and a soft pair of lips caresses his frozen cheek. Surpised, Sousuke lifts his head, only to find two sparkling jades peering into him with compassion.

"And he is right...I hope you'll have a happy New Year."

Makoto takes two steps backwards and smiles. And this time, Sousuke mirrors him. They farewell each other, promising to arrange another fun sortie first chance into the new year. Before turning around a corner, Sousuke hesitates and casts a last glance at Makoto. The hazel haired man is walking away whistling a happy tune, shoulders squared with pride, stride lively and unfaltering. Sousuke just shoves his hands deep in his pockets and treads the opposite way.

The night marches on fast. The cold penetrates the soul. On his way home, the streets are now emptier and bleak, gnarled trees line up naked and forlorn. But Sousuke doesn't hasten his pace.

Because, the truth is, he has no plans for the next day. No train to catch. No reunion with his father he must not miss. He usually isn't very good at lying, but this time of the year, everyone is too busy to notice. And it's not that he doesn't enjoy the company of his friends or that he doesn't appreciate their invitations. He just wishes he was someone's priority for a change.

Alone he roams the streets of Tokyo, but somewhere among its fluorescent signs, a small pellet of water pelts his forehead. The unforeseen freshness startles him. He opens his palm and soon more droplets are spitting on his skin.

"Rain?"

Sousuke stands confused with his gaze upwards, there where the nightsky reigns cloudless and sprinkled with stars.

* * *

A frustrated grunt escapes his lips, when the ink accidentally spills across the aged, paper sheets. The enchanted liquid mottles the papyrus, tiny droplets forming together patterns of anarchy. He knows he can probably correct this by simply scrunching up his nose, but it has already messed the scenery he envisioned. His gaze drifts out of the round, stained glass window, into the sleeping woodland. Those last hours before the awakening of the new year, the pine forest always spreads calm and eerie.

* * *

For a while now, he runs with all his might. It's as if Hermes himself has lent him his legendary winged sandals. Dashing through the sleeping park, the slapping noise of his sneakers resonates in the silence. When the narrow, curved bridge emerges from the dark, he sees him. The lake is frozen, the fountain stilled. But he's there, bathed in the smudgy pool of yellow light lapping around the bowed streetlamp, handsome as ever in his long olive jacket and woolly scarf. Smiling.

"Rin, you made it."

Rin feels his heart flitting away, and he doesn't know if it's his heaving chest he has to blame, or Makoto's healing smile.

"Have...have you been waiting long?"

"No, not really. I told my parents I was going out for a bit because my cellphone had no signal. So I don't have much time before they start worrying. What about you?"

"You have no idea! Whole day I was being tortured by my nephew. I mean, I love the kid, but he has absolutely no sense of boundaries. I was puked on, splashed with paint, covered with cake...Then, Haru called all of a sudden, and decided to drag me down at the beach, where we stumbled on a group of nudists. I kid you not! And what did your crazy friend do? Says he wants to swim too! Of course we were spotted, so we ran away-"

"Rin..."

"...or so we thought, cause those fuckers called the cops. Chaos, absolute chaos. We ended up down at a police station, but it appears swimming naked is prohibited anyway, so after long they let us go. I almost forgot to pick up my mom cause of this! I jumped in a taxi and found her furious at the train station, cause she had been stood up for hours. I left her home, but it was sooo late already, that I just blurted a 'be right back' before running off to come here. I don't even want to imagine what she's thinking right now, I mean-"

"Rin!"Makoto's firm voice shakes the redhead up this time, as the taller man pulls him closer. His malachite eyes stray towards the Japanese clock tower with the broad eave, which stands alone in the middle of the somber park. Its minute-hand is already pointing at two minutes past midnight.

"...happy New Year..."

He leans down, tenderly nuzzling Rin's lips and that's all it takes for the rambling redhead to raise the white flag and melt into the sensual kiss. Underneath all these layers of clothes, their hearts still align. From afar, fireworks are signaling the new year.

When Makoto pulls away, Rin follows his mouth with his eyes still shut, like a charmed kitten seeking its milk. It always makes the kind coach laugh.

 _"onii-chan..."_

Makoto rests his chin on Rin's head. Despite the troublesome day he had, his crimson hair still smells of cherry blossoms.

"We should be leaving soon."

He feels Rin moaning against his chest in protest.

"Just five more minutes..."

 _"onii-chan ?!"_

"You know, there's a way for us to stay like this even longer, if we stop hiding. Actually..." Makoto breaks away, and there's a spark of hope in his eyes as they bear into Rin "...why don't we do this? Why don't we stop hiding? Let's make a fresh start this year, however difficult it may be, and tell everyone about us. What do you say?"

"I say..."

 _"onii-chan...onii-chan!"_

Rin frowns, his scarlet gaze scouring the darkened park.

"...Makoto, can you hear that?"

* * *

"Onii-chan!"

The quill drops lifeless on the desk. As he spins his chair around, a radiant smile makes the entire chamber sparkle.

"You've finished your story already, Hayato?"

The young, bubblegum cherub vehemently shakes his head up and down, before happily rushing to bury himself in his brother's longing arms. He hands him a clumsily rolled parchment, shyness colouring his cheeks with a youthful blush. His eyes rifle through the paper fast, greedily swallowing one word after the other, until his lips shape up into a perfect circle. Hayato's little story is much better than he could have ever imagined.

He praises the boy and tousles his silky hair.

"Onii-chan...can you read me one of your tales now? Can you? Please?"

"Of course, Hayato. You actually deserve it. Which one you want to hear?"

"Hmmm...I don't know...any tale about the humans."

"Oh, the humans...you surely love their adventures, don't you? Let's read your favourite one then."

They cuddle together on a leaf shaped bed and little Hayato stretches his pointy ears so he won't miss a single word from that tale he so loves; a tale about four young boys that loved the ocean. The young elf likes to hear about that mystery the humans call "the sea", but he himself is afraid of the water.

It's not long before Hayato delves into a dreamland weaved by the myths he adores. He soundlessly slips away, careful not to stir the elven boy from his sleep, and takes a last look at his serene face. For the first time in his spellbound life, he experiences sorrow; he will miss Hayato.

But it's not that Kisumi has any more time left. The advent of the new year signifies the end of his own journey as the storykeeper. Tonight, he has to materialize into the new world. At least a certain thought imbues him with comfort; if Hayato's story about that megane boy and his blond friend is any indication, the tales are left in good hands.

As he steps outside, the chilling mist of those enchanted woods engulfs him at once. He has always wondered if the winter in his stories feels like this. Almost invisible, he saunters among the tall, imposing trees. Elven houses in nutshell shapes are hanging by the highest branches, all of them chambers like his own. Inside them, young elves at Hayato's age are sleeping peacefully.

He used to be like them. Young and careless. Happy among his friends. Because, once upon a time, they were all here. Dancing with the water nymphs and stealing fairydust from the pixies. Until, one by one, they sailed for a different world; a world full of humans. And their immortality faded away, along with their memories.

The same path unfolds tonight before him. And he's determined to follow it with a clear mind. Because there's someone out there that needs him more than his little, beloved elves. Someone that has been left wandering alone among the fluorescent signs of Tokyo. But Kisumi knows their happy ending is just around the corner. Because happiness will never cease to exist, as long as there's always someone to write down these beautiful tales of winter.

 **The End**

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thanks for reading, reviews are appreciated **  
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